Connect with local women in franchising to excel in business, in life.

At a recent Women's Franchise Network meeting at a downtown Chicago restaurant, Barbara Moran, president of Moran Industries, Inc., a franchisor of automotive repair centers, sat around a table along with about a dozen other women, eating dinner and sharing stories of how she overcame difficulties early in her career within a male-dominated sector of the franchise industry. The women, a mix of franchisees, franchisors and suppliers, listened intently, inspired by her candor, as well as her advice about how to "stay on your game" to face different types of challenges as women in business.

Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, a different kind of network event was taking place. About 60 women were gathered at a wine-tasting, chatting, networking and meeting new faces in franchising. Still other local WFN chapters were meeting in other cities, listening to speakers offer expertise on topics such as time-management strategies, balancing work and personal life, coping with change at work and home or dealing with conflict in the workplace.

Those are just a few examples of the learning and connecting that regularly take place between women in franchising around the country through the growing network. First established in 2002 by the International Franchise Association's Women's Franchise Committee, and with chapters now active in 10 markets, WFN chapters nationwide meet on a regular basis with one key objective: to make connections. The local chapter meetings are designed to bring women in various roles in the franchising sector together in a comfortable setting where they can build relationships, offer advice and mentoring, and share ideas, resources and experiences.

Common Threads

As noted by repeated studies of the corporate world and publicized by respected authors such as Jim Collins, author of "Good to Great", the common threads of great companies are a culture that promotes idea-sharing and solid programs that cultivate mentor relationships within its workforce. Research consistently reports that those two elements lead to a company's long-term productivity and profitability.

Building on this corporate formula for success, the WFN's priority is to create a forum where women in franchising can build their personal and professional networks, mentor each other, address challenges, share strategies and present best practice examples to help them succeed in business and in life. According to IFA Director of Meetings Anne Poodiack, WFN chapters are open to "any woman who cares about the direction of her company and her career in franchising." IFA membership is not necessary to participate. Poodiack also noted that Certified Franchise Executive candidates earn 50 participant credits for each WFN meeting they attend.

Whether it's a bi-monthly meeting, a quarterly dinner with speakers and scheduled topics, or a social networking event such as wine tasting or an interactive team-building activity, WFN chapter participants know they have a group of women in franchising who will always know their names, faces and company affiliations. Attending WFN events has proved to be valuable for professional and personal development, leading to new business contacts and opportunities, fresh ideas and lasting friendships.

Professional Development

"Everybody knows the dangers of working within a vacuum," Poodiack said. "Professional women get so busy in their day-to-day lives, conducting business, raising their families and managing their households that they often miss important opportunities to connect with other women in their own industry. It's one of those things they just don't make time for in their busy schedules. But I hear so often from our members that once they took the step to attend just one chapter event or meeting, they were so glad they made time because what they took away was so valuable."

Reaching new heights

The WFN has come a long way since the first chapter was launched in Denver four years ago. Since that time, additional WFN chapters are now active in Chicago, San Diego, the Twin Cities, Southern California, New York-New Jersey, Washington D.C.-Baltimore, Dallas, Seattle and Richmond. Learning from their experiences, many of these chapters are reaching out to local companies involved in the franchising sector for potential sponsorships to help fund events and alleviate the need to charge attendees for food or facility costs. Additional chapters in Miami, Connecticut and Toronto will be established by year-end.

In addition, the WFN national task force is working on several new initiatives, including marketing the chapter meetings using local outlets, developing a speaker's list and forming strategies to help transition new chapter chairs. The task force holds quarterly conference calls during which all WFN chapter chairs are invited and encouraged to participate. The calls help the task force to recruit organizers of new chapters in markets around the country, discuss the opportunities and challenges of recent events and programs and brainstorm ways that chapter chairs might boost local participation.

To support new chapter chairs, the WFN task force has developed and updated its "Guidelines for Establishing a Local Chapter," a comprehensive manual that provides in-depth information on how to set up a local chapter, host a first meeting and keep the energy level high at all meetings throughout the year. The manual also include ways to customize chapters to meet the needs of particular markets, including sample budgets, agendas, topic ideas and handouts.

With thousands of women around the country involved in franchising, there's no reason to be disconnected. Groups like the Women's Franchise Network are a valuable tool to connect, learn and grow as women in a powerful and growing U.S. sector of the economy.

Reaching Out to Women in Your Community

For more information about joining or starting a WFN chapter or becoming a WFN speaker, contact IFA's Anne Poodiack at 202-662-0773 or [e-mail]. To join a local chapter listed below, contact a chapter chair in your area.

Chicago

Debra Vilchis

Fishman Public Relations

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Amy Cheng

DLA Piper US LLP

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Dallas

Aimee M. Minick

Haynes and Boone, LLP

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Denver

Jenni Wisniewski

Snell & Wilmer, LLP

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Lashelle Champan

Homewatch Care Givers

[e-mail]

San Diego

Irene LaCota

It's Just Lunch Franchise, LLC

Tel: [phone] x 106

[e-mail]

Seattle-Portland

Vicki Starr

Discovery Map International, LLC

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Robin Schachter

Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Phyllis Pieri

FranChoice

[e-mail]

Washington, D.C.-Baltimore

Rosemarie Hartnett

Abrakadoodle

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Christine Harris

FRANdata

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Greater New York

Marianne Murphy

HMA Franchise Systems, Inc.

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Mariel Miller

FranchiseBuyer, LLC

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Twin Cities/Minneapolis

Kim Ellis

Bison Advertising, Inc.

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Beth Brody

Faegre & Benson

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Kerry Olson

Buffalo Wild Wings

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Southern California

Rochelle Spandorf

Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Mary Ann O'Connell

O'Connell & Company

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Fort Lauderdale-Miami

Nina Greene Kersh

Genovese, Joblove & Battista

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Connecticut

Josie Cicerale

Decor & You

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Karen Powell

Decor & You

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Lori T. Tyll, CFE

Business Advisers International

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Richmond

Robin Smith

The Entrepreneur's Source

Tel: [phone]

Toll Free: 888-897 8292

[e-mail]

Toronto

Andraya Frith

Osier Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Eunice Machado

Cassels Brock

Phone: [phone]

[e-mail]

To inquire about participation in the Women's Franchise Network, contact one of these task force members.

Beth Brody

Task Force Chair

Faegre & Benson

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Kerry Olson

Task Force Vice Chair

Buffalo Wild Wings

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Kim Ellis, WFC Chair

Bison Advertising, Inc.

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Irene LaCota

It's Just Lunch Franchise

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Barbara Moran

Moran Industries, Inc.

Tel: [phone]

[e-mail]

Kerry Olson is director, associate general counsel of Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. and serves as WFN Task Force vice chair of IFA's Women's Franchise Committee and as a co-chair of the Twin Cities WFN Chapter. She can be reached at 952-278-0013 or [e-mail].